Ship{3 s accomodation ladder

ABSTRACT

Various means for embarking a ship at sea have been proposed, from the simple pilot&#39;&#39;s ladder hanging down the ship&#39;&#39;s side to sophisticated devices acting as elevators. The present design includes a lower platform and a short pilot&#39;&#39;s ladder and will thus meet the pilot&#39;&#39;s requirements. The lower platform will permit an easy access also from a quay, and the arrangement makes possible the use of the ladder as a hoist for bringing provisions on board the ship.

Elite tates atet Nilsson et al.

[5 SHIPS ACCOMODATION LADDER 2,448,335 8/1948 Wallace 182/84 [75] Inventors: Per Nilsson, Vastra Frolunda; Bertil FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Bergstedt Grabo, both of Sweden 302,604 l2/l963 Netherlands l82/84 ASSigneet n Askina Sweden 729,879 5/l955 Great Blliilln l82/l Filed: 1973 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado [21] APP] NO; 408,435 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [52] U.S. Cl 182/86, l82/l, 182/113, ABSTBIMIT 182/196 Various means for embarking a ship at sea have been 51 rm. Cl B63b 27/14 Proposed from the SimPle P ladder hanging down [58] Field of Search n 182/1 83, 84, 85 86, the ships side to sophisticated devices acting as eleva- 182/196 77 1 13 tors. The present design includes a lower platform and a short pilots ladder and will thus meet the pilots re- [56] References Cited quirements. The lower platform will permit an easy UNITED STATES PATENTS access also from a quay, and the arrangement makes possible the use of the ladder as a hoist for bringing l giarrgm et aluprovisions on board the Ship. 1,836,453 l2/l93l Deveau 182/86 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures a .L n M s J W M f W SHIPS ACCOMODATION LADDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an accomodation ladder of the type including at least one portion, which is pivotably mounted at an upper platform, level with the deck of a ship, while the lower end of said portion is carried by a wire arrangement from at least one davit.

To embark a big ship at sea, for instance by a pilot from a pilot cutter is a difficult enterprise, as both ships often move in different directions. Various means for facilitating the embarkation have been proposed, including the provision of ladder portions, cages, or the like, movable up and down along the ships side. These devices function well, at least theoretically, but practice has shown that the pilots do not like these modern lifting arrangements, where they are dependent upon the activity of other personnel, but prefer the fixed pilots ladder, where they can rely upon their own ability to embark the ship.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an embarkation device, which fulfills the last mentioned requirements and is characterized in a lower platform fitted at the lower end of said ladder portion and connected thereto by means of pivot having a horizontal axis in a manner to make possible a location of said lower platform by means of the wire arrangement, substantially parallel with the ships deck, independently of the inclination of the ladder portion, with the lower platform being provided with an opening for permitting access from below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a ladder according to the invention, ready for embarkment, and

FIG. 2 on a larger scale, and likewise in perspective, shows a modification of the lower platform of the accomodation ladder according to FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings reference 1 denotes a ladder portion, the upper end of which is pivotably connected to an upper platform 2, which in turn is pivotably mounted level with the shipss deck by means of an axle 3. This is connected with a first davit 4 as well as with a second davit 5 located at a distance from the first mentioned one.

A second platform 6 is provided at the lower end of the ladder portion 1, to which it is pivotably connected. The platform, which is carried by wires 7, 8, 9 and 10 has a rectangular shape, and is provided with an access opening 11. Means are provided at the side of this opening adjacent to the ship's side 13 for the attachment of a pilots ladder 12. The opening 11 is surrounded by a rail 14, which ensures a safe passage through the opening 11.

The rectangular lower platform 6 is, at each corner, provided with means for the attachment of the wires 7-10, which further run over sheaves at the davits 4 and 5 to a winch. preferably provided with a separate drum for each wire. The axis for a pivot means 17 between the ladder portion and the lower platform 6 is located at some distance from one edge of the platform being parallel to said axis, whereby a portion of the platform will protrude below the ladder to provide attachment for the wires 9 and 10. The construction will, in this manner, obtain a reduced tendency to swing along the ships side, while simultaneously the adjustment of the relative positions of the ladder portion and the lower platform is facilitated.

Instead of fixed attachments for the wires 7-10 at the platform, the latter may be provided with rollers or other antifriction means to permit the wires 7, 8 and 9, 10 to run in below the platform and be connected in pairs. Thus it will be easier to adjust the length of the individual wires to ensure that the platform is always located perpendicularly with respect to the ships side and parallel with the ships deck. Cramp irons may be attached to the ships side in suitable positions to make possible a lashing of the lower platform thereto. The edge of the platform turned towards the ships side is conveniently provided with antifriction devices such as rollers, skids or the like.

During an embarkation, the ladder 1 and the lower platform 6 are brought to the position shown in FIG. 1. The pilot may climb on board primarily by way of the pilots ladder, which by the platform is maintained in close contact with the ships side. The pilot will first, by way of the opening 11, arrive at the platform 6, and from there he may easily ascend to the ships deck by way of the ladder portion 6. The pilot thus, will not have to rely on mechanical lifting means, or personnel attending the same.

The operation of the ladder arrangement occurs in a known manner by the ladder portion and the platform being lifted level with the deck, whereupon the complete set is turned about axle 3, whereby the ladder portion and the platform will rest upon the deck. With very big ships, where the distance between the deck and the water level may be considerable, it will be advantageous to use a ladder portion 1 composed of two or more telescopically extendible parts.

The arrangement shown in FIG. I is, of course, not limited to embarkation at sea, but may advantageously also be used as an ordinary accomodation ladder, when in a harbor harbour. The platform 6 will then rest directly on the quay. The portion of the platforms railing, remote from the ships side is provided with an opening, which may be closed by a flap 18. This flap is designed in such a manner that it in an alternative position will close opening 11 thereby permitting access from the quay directly to the ladder portion. To facilitate the handling of provisions, a lower railing 19 is provided around a portion of the platform extending away from the ladder and it is obviously possible to place goods within railing 14. When used for the transportation of provisions, the ladder can be compared with a hoist. The operation of a winch 16 may possibly occur from a control box 21, which conveniently is provided with locking means.

The connection means between the pilots ladder and the lower platform 6 is designed in such a manner that the pilots ladder may be easily removed, when the accomodation ladder has been swung to rest position on the deck. The lower platform is preferably also provided with rollers (not shown) fitted at its underside for engagement with a quay, when the ship is in a harbor.

Instead of the railing 14 shown in FIG. 2, a complete cage provided with doors at its longitudinal sides may be used.

The embodiments shown and described must not be regarded as limiting the invention, as a number of modifications may be performed within the scope of the appended claims. The lower platform may, for instance, be suspended from a yoke, whereby it will be possible to use a single davit for operating the accomodation ladder.

What we claim is:

1. In a ships accomodation ladder of the type including at least one ladder portion, means for pivotably mounting said ladder at an upper platform, level with the ships deck, as well as a wire arrangement connected to at least one davit for carrying the lower end of said ladder portion, the improvement of a lower platform,

pivot means having a horizontal axis for the attachment of said lower platform to the lower end of said ladder portion, means for attaching wires of the wire arrangement to the said lower platform to both sides of pivot axis, and

an opening in said lower platform, for providing access from below.

2. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in

which the lower platform is provided with means for the attachment of a pilots ladder in conjunction with the opening.

3. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the wire arrangement includes four wire parts, and the lower platform has a rectangular form and at each corner is provided with means for the guiding of one wire, said wires from the platform by way of the said, at least one davit being led to a winch and a separate drum for each wire at said winch.

4. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the pivot means between the ladder portion and the lower platform is fitted some distance inside of one of the edges of the platform being parallel to the axis of the pivot means.

5. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the lower platform is provided with a railing, as well as with a remote control device for governing the winch operating the wire arrangement.

6. The accomodation ladder according to claim 5, in which a gap is formed in the side of the railing remote from the ships side and the lower platform is provided with a pivotable flap, which in one position will close said gap in the railing and in a second position will cover the opening in the platform. 

1. In a ship''s accomodation ladder Of the type including at least one ladder portion, means for pivotably mounting said ladder at an upper platform, level with the ship''s deck, as well as a wire arrangement connected to at least one davit for carrying the lower end of said ladder portion, the improvement of a lower platform, pivot means having a horizontal axis for the attachment of said lower platform to the lower end of said ladder portion, means for attaching wires of the wire arrangement to the said lower platform to both sides of pivot axis, and an opening in said lower platform, for providing access from below.
 2. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the lower platform is provided with means for the attachment of a pilot''s ladder in conjunction with the opening.
 3. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the wire arrangement includes four wire parts, and the lower platform has a rectangular form and at each corner is provided with means for the guiding of one wire, said wires from the platform by way of the said, at least one davit being led to a winch and a separate drum for each wire at said winch.
 4. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the pivot means between the ladder portion and the lower platform is fitted some distance inside of one of the edges of the platform being parallel to the axis of the pivot means.
 5. The accomodation ladder according to claim 1, in which the lower platform is provided with a railing, as well as with a remote control device for governing the winch operating the wire arrangement.
 6. The accomodation ladder according to claim 5, in which a gap is formed in the side of the railing remote from the ship''s side and the lower platform is provided with a pivotable flap, which in one position will close said gap in the railing and in a second position will cover the opening in the platform. 